Flash-light.



B. BENEDICT.

FLASH LIGHT.

APPLICATION man sEPT.8.1914..

Patented Dec. 18

lamp against the battery terminal.

-ed and of sheet metal.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFETCE.

BERNARD BENEDICT, OE NEW YORK, N. Y., AssIGNoR ro BEACON MINIATUREcoivr- PANY, INC., or NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION 0E NEW YORK.

FLASH-LIGHT.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 1S, 1917.

T0 all whom z't may Concern.'

Be it known that I, BERNARD BENEDICT, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of the city and county of New York and y State of NewYork, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Flash-Lights, of which the following is a specifica tion.

The invention pertains more particularly to portable electric lamps ofthe character designed to be held in the hand and sometimes used-asflash lights and at other times for affording a` permanent light for ashort period, and the objectl of the invention is to provide a novel andeflicient construction of lamp of the class referred to by which anumber of objections to or defects in portable flash lights as commonlymanufactured and sold, may be remedied. One purpose of the invention isto avoidthe accidental lighting of thevlamp by the placing of theexposed metal parts thereof against a metal surface or another flashlight. These flash lights are frequentlv carried by Workmen in a box oftools, and in many constructions when the flash light is placed againsta metal tool the latter closes the circuit and lights the lamp, and inmy construction of flash light this objection is entirely avoided. Myinvention more particularly comprises novel means fcrsupporting thereflector Whichreceives the lamp, these means including a saddlevsecured Within the upper end of the exterior shell or tubular casing ofthe light and a threaded neck or nozzle on the reflector adapted to bescrewed within a threaded opening at the center of said saddlefor'securing the reflector in correct and rigid l position and toreceive the threaded socket of the lamp, the lamp and reflector beingadapted to be applied to said saddle as one part-and the assembling ofthe reflector and saddle serving to carry a terminal of the The saddlein its transverse member has the threaded opening to receive thethreaded neck or nozzle `on the reflector, said neck being bothinternally and externally thread- The saddle is of sheet metal and inthe lamp circuit and preferably'is less inl width than the diameter ofthe tubular casing so that upon the removal of the reflector-fromY thelight substantial l,spaces arefleftto receive proper implements or toolswhereby the battery, should the same be stuck within the exteriorcasing, may be forced from the lower end of said casing. In theconstruction presented by me one of the more important features re sidesin the provision of the saddle having a threaded opening in itstransverse member to receive the threaded neck of the reflector carryingthe lamp, this construction presen ing many advantages not heretoforeexisting in flash lights known to me. It is of manifest advantage toprovide a reflector raving a threaded neck to receive the lamp and tolikewise provide a transverse member within the tubular casing having athreaded opening to receive the threaded neck of the reflector, thereflector being thereby very readily and rmly secured and the terminalof the lamp being carried centrally downwardly in positive and firmengagement with the central terminal at the top of the battery inopposition to the force of the spring usually provided within thetubular casing at the lower end of the battery.

The invention will be fully understood from the detailed descriptionhereinafter presented, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a portable electric light embodying myinvention;

Fig. 2 is a central vertical section on an enlarged scale and partlybroken away of the same on the dotted line 2 2 of Fig. 1, and

Fig. 3 is a detached perspective view of the saddle which, in use, issecured within the upper end of the tubular" casing and receives thereflector carrying the lamp.

In the drawings, 10 designates the exterior tubular'casing, usually offiber, of the flash light, 11 the battery therein, 12 a metal capclosing the lower end of said casing, 13 a metal band secured upon thelower end of said casing 10v and threaded to receive the threaded sidesof said cap, 14 the customary end glass, shown as a lens, 15 the usualflanged and threaded band securing said lens on the outer end of themain casing. 16 the usual threaded metal band secured upon the outer endof the casing 10 to receive the threaded sides of the band 15, 17 thereflector, 18 the lamp bulb, 19 the saddle having a threaded opening 2Oin its transverse member to receive the threaded neck 21 on saidreflector, 2Q' a customary terminal extending along the inner side ofthe casing 10 and connected at its upper end with the eircuit closereasing' Q8 and at its lo\ver end vith the metal band 13, and 2l thecustomary `erininal extendingT alone' the oute portion ol" the innersurface of the casing 19 and in this instance eine` electricallyconnected with the saddle 19. The lower end of the terminal is securedby a rivet E25 vto the casing 10 and upon said rivet and fastenedagainst the said terminal E24 is a pring switch 26 adapted to be engagedby a conducting member 27 carried by a thumb piece or slide 28 which ismounted on the casing; rthe parts QG, 27 constitute the main circuitcloser members, and in Fig. 2 these members are shoivn as separated fromeach other, the circuit being` broken. lVhen the slide Q8 is movedupwardly on the casing` 23 the contact member i2? is placed in int iviththe switch 26 and then the circuit is completed due to the electricalconnectionv of the terminals With each otl in a. manner Well understoodin this art.

The battery 11 is of the usual type and it is seated upon a spring 29,as usual.

rThe more important features of my invention reside in the constructionprovided at the outer end of the casing' 10, and these features includethe saddle 19 and reflector 17 having' the threaded neel; Q1 to bescreived into the hole or opening' 20 at the center of the transversemember of the saddle 19. The saddle 19 is of sheet metal having sides 30Which support the transverse member and are secured to lthe Walls oitthe casing or shell 19 by inea. s of rivets 81, 'the outer ends of saidrivets being` ivithin the recesses formed in the shell or easing' 10 soas to avoid any contact of said rivets with the band or sleeve 1G.

l` he transverse member of the saddle 19, in the constructionillustrated in the drawings, spans across the interior of the shell orcasing 10, as shown in Fie'. f2, and said transverse member is less inWidth than the diameter of said shell or casing' 10, u'hereby reasonablyivide spaces are left betvveen the side edges of said transverse menberand the adjacent Walls of 'the shell or casing` 10. The reflector' 1i'is -formed ivith the inwardly extending` threaded nozzle E21, and thisnozzle is adapted to receive the lamp end also to be screvved into thehole or opening' 20 in the transverse member of the saddle 19. The upperedge of the reflector 1T is flanc/'ed outwardly, as at 32, and thisoutwardly extending; flange 32 is seated upon the upper ends of thesides of the saddle 1. and also upon the insulating' casing tube 10 andis shown in the drawings as seated upon a shoulder formed by recessing`out, as at 83, the upper inner edges of the shell or easing 10, rtheprovision of the recess 33 is to prevent electrical connection of thereflector l? -with the metal band 1G, the object being,-

tion th the conductor The conductor on.

i ezt-ends ifipu'ardly along the outer tace ot' one of the sides ot' thesaddle 19, as shown at the upper right hand side of Fig. 2, and issecured against the saddle by the rivet 31, shown at said portion ofFig. 2. rl`he threadet socket of the lamp 18 may be screwed into thethreaded neck 21 of the reflector' 17 and then said reflector may bescrewed into the opening 2O of said saddle until the flange 32 of thereflector becomes seated Within the recess thereafter the lens 14 may bereadily applied by means of the band or cap 15. ai.' the battery 11 isin the shell or casing' 10 ivhen the reflector and lamp are applied tposition, a terminal of the lamp to vrill be carried against the usualterminal of the battery in oppositionV to the upi'vardly exerted forceol'l the spring Q9. rthe securingI of the reflector 1T in the saddle 19is of considerable ii'nportancc, since thereby the reflector may notonly be Very firmly and evenly and centrally secured, but the spring`:29 is prevented from forcing the ref'ector outcvardly beyond its normalposition, -whereby the lens 14k may be very readily secured upon theouter end of the casing,` l0.

lllhen the switch members 2G, 2T are in engagement with each other thecircuit is made through the conductors Q2, 9A, as usual, but in thisinstance the circuit is "ou l reflector 17 and lamp l of the battery,the

f 16 l band or cap 15 being kept out of circuit. lt will be obvious thatin the construction preimi te l7 the flash light could ed against ametal tool or other iietal surface connecting the cap 15 and v7itheutthe lamp becoming li ,lit'ed7 and this in itself is an importantconsiderafurther important part of my in ven tion resides in theprovision ot' the thread ed neel; on the reflector to be screwed intothe threaded opening' in the saddle, the re` flector and lamp beine'thereby rmly and properly held and it being rendered very easy to applythe reflector and lamp and thereafter the lens. The central opening Q9in the saddle and he spaces left between the side edges of tl saddle andthe adjacent side 'walls o" e shell or casing 10, may be advantageouslyused in forcing' the battery from said shell or casing,r should thebattery by corrosion or other means become stuck therein. l'he thread inthe opening Q0 of the saddle 19 is of novel formation in that the sheetmetal containingl said opening is at one side of the opening recessed orslitlaterally and flanged upwardly at one side of said recess anddownwardly at the other side of' said recess, thus creating spiralreflector. a lamp held thereby, and means for rigidly and Vdetachablyholding the reflector and lamp comprising a transverse member in thechamber of said casing part above the battery and having a centralopening through Which the lamp socket may project and interlocking meanson said reflector and member for positively securing them together, saidtransverse member being of conducting material and in electricalconnection with one of said terminals and with the reflector, which isinsulated froml the adjacent exterior metal parts of the flash light bysaid casing part.

2. In a portable electric flash light comprising an exterior insulatingcasing part containing a battery and having an end glass, an exteriorglass-holding metallic part. terminals and circuit closer` a metallicreflector having a threaded neck, a lamp having a threaded socketscrewed Within said neck, and a transverse member in the chamber of saidcasing part above the battery and having a threaded central opening toengage said threaded neck and positively secure the reflector and membertogether with the end of the lamp socket exposed through said opening,said transverse member being of" conducting material and in electricalconnection with one of said terminals and with the reflector, which isinsulated from the adjacent exterior metal parts of the flash light bvsaid easing part.

3. In a portable electric flash light com prising an exterior insulatingcasing part containing a battery and having an end glass, an exteriorglass-holding metallic part, terminals and circuit closer, a metallicreflector. a lamp held thereby, and means for rigidly and detachablyholding the reflector and lamp comprising a transverse member spanningthe chamber of said casing part above the battery and having a centralopening through which the lamp socket may project and interlocking meanson said reflector and member for positively securing them together, saidtransverse member being of metal and in electrical connection with oneof the casing terminals and said reflector and being less in Width thanthe diameter of said chamber, and said reflector being insulated fromthe adjacent exterior metal parts of' the flash light by said casingpart.

4. In a portable electric flash light comprising an exterior insulatingcasing part containing a battery and having an end glass, an exteriorglass-holding metallicpart, terminals and circuit closer, a metallicreflector, a lamp held thereby, and means for rigidly and detachablyholding the reflector and lamp comprising a transverse member in thechamber of said casing part above the battery and having a centralopening through which 'the lamp socket may project and interlockingmeans on said reflector and member for positively securing themtogether, said member being of metal and in electrical conne tion withone of the cas` ing terminals and said reflector, said reflector beingflanged outwardly along its outer edge and said casing part beingrecessed along the inner edge of its outer end to aord a seat for saidflange and protect the reflector against electrical connection with themeans securing the lens.

5. In a portable electric flash light comprising an exterior insulatingcasing part containing a battery and having an end glass, an exterior'glasseholding metallic part, terminals and circuit closer, a metallicreflector having a threaded neck, a lamp detachably held within saidneck, a metal saddle having sides secured Within said casing and atransverse member in the chamber ofV said casing above the battery andhaving a threaded central opening to engage said threaded neck andpositively secure the reflector and member together with the end of thelamp socket exposed through said opening, said saddle having one of itssides in electrical connection with one of the battery terminals, andsaid reflector being insulated from the adjacent exterior metal parts ofthe flash light by said casing part.

(i. In a portable electric flash light comprising an exterior insulatingcasing part containing a battery and having an end glass, an exteriorglass-holding metallic part, terminals and circuit closer, a metallicreflector. a lamp held thereby, and means for rigidly and detachablyholding the reflector and lamp comprising a transverse men'ibet in the c:nnber of' said casing part above the battery ind having a centralopening through which the lamp soci-cet may project and interlockingmeans on said reflector and member for positively securing themtogether, said transverse n amber being of conducting material and inelectrical con@ nection with one of said terminals and with thereflector, which is insulated from the adjacent exterior metal parts ofthe flash light by said casing part, the reflector having a peripheralflange adapted to seat upon said casing part.

7. A portable electric light having, in combination, a metallicreflector'. a metallic lamp socket. a metallic plate in electricalconnection With and ren dering support to the reflector and lamp socket,and casing means inclosing and electrically insulating the re- CIDflector and lamp socket and said plate against electrical exposure atthe outside of said casing means.

8. A portable electric light having, in combination, a metallicreflector, a metallic lamp socket carried by the reflector andprojecting inwardly therefrom, a metallic plate provided with asocket-receiving opening for receiving and rendering support to the lampsocket and in electrical connection with the lamp socket and reflector,and casing means inclosing and insulating said reflectorl and lampsocket and plate against electrical exposure at the outside of saidcasing means.

9. A portable electric light having, in combination, a metallicreflector, a metallic lamp socket carried thereby, a metallic plate inelectrical connection with the reflector and lamp socket, a metallicouter casing part, means for supporting the reflector and lamp socketand plate in electrically insulated relation to said casing part, andmeans including a manually operable circuit controller for includingsaid plate in a lighting circuit.

10. A portable electric light having, in combination, a metallicreflector, ay metallic lamp socket carried by the reflector andprojecting inwardly therefrom, a metallic plate provided with asocket-receiving opening for receiving the lamp socket and in electricalconnection with the lamp socket and reflector, a metallic outer casingpart, means for supporting said reflector and lamp socket and plate inelectrically insulated relation to said metallic casing part, and meansincluding a manually operable circuit controller for including saidplate in a lighting circuit.

1l. A portable electric light having, in combination, av metallicreflector, a metallic lamp socket, an outwardly exposed metallic casingpart, a metallic supporting member for said reflector' and lamp socket,and an insulating casing part interposed between and insulating saidsupporting member from said outwardly exposed metallic casing part.

12. A portable electric light haring, in combination, a metallicreflector, a metallic lamp socket carried by the reflector andprojecting inwardly therefrom, a metallic outer casing part, a metallicsupporting member for said reflector and lamp socket provided with asocket-receiving opening for receiving the lamp socket and in electrical connection with the lamp socket and reflector, an insulatingcasing part interposed between and electrically insulating saidsupporting member from said outer casing part, and means including amanually operable circuit-controller for including said supportingmember in a lighting circuit.

Signed at New York city, in the county of New York and State of NewYork, this 5th day of September A. D. 1914.

BERNARD BENEDCT.

Witnesses:

ARTHUR MARION, CrrAs. C. GlLL.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C,

Correction ln Letters Patent No. 1,250,545.

lIt is hereby certified that the assignee in Letters Patent No.1,250,545, granted December 18 1917 u `'on the an liention of BernardBenedict, of New York, N. Y.,

J 7 P p for an improvement in Flash-Lights, was erroneously describedand speeied as Beacon Miniature Company, Ine, Whereas seid assigneeshouid have been described and speeied as Beacon iiifrriaffwre Elevar/icCompany, Inc., said corporationl being owner by 'mesme assfignme'nis of'the entire interest in said invention, as shown by the records ofassignments in this oice; and that the said Letters Patent should beread with this correction therein that the seme may Conform to therecord of the ease in the Potent Office.

Signed and sealed this 12th den,T of Februery, A. iD., 1918.

J. T. NEWTON, Commissioner of Pate/nts.

[SEAL] Cl. 24o- 8.5.

t is hereby certified that the assignee in Letters Patent No. 1,250,545,granted December 18, 1917, upon the application of Bernard Benedict, ofNew York, N. Y.,

for an improvement in Flash-Lights, was erroneously described andspecified as Beacon Miniature Company, Ina, whereas seid assignee shouldhave been described and s eciied as Beacon Miniature Elect-ric @omn amInc. seid cor eration l 1 P being owner by meme assignments or" theentire interest .in seid invention, as shown by the records ofassignments in this orioe; end that the seid Letters Patent should beread with this correction therein that the same may conform to therecord of the oase in the Potent Office.

Signed and sealed this 12th day of Februery, A. il, 1918.

[SEAL] J. T. NEWTON,

Uommz'sso/lw?" of Patents.

Cl. 24o-8.5.

